Opening and pouring attachment for cans



p 1952 v. A. REAM OPENING AND POURING ATTACHMENT FOR CANS Filed June 22, 1949 I ul'entor Vincenf A. Ream Patented Sept. 9, 1952 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE OPENING AND POURING ATTACHMENT FOR CANS This invention relates to new and useful improvements and structural refinements in devices for opening cans and pouring out the contents thereof, and the principal object of the invention is to provide a device of the character herein described, whereby the can opening as well as the pouring operation may be quickly, easily and conveniently effected.

This object is achieved by the provision of the instant device which, in the nature of an attachment, may be easily applied to the upper portion of a can, and an important feature of the invention resides in the provision of means for firmly yet removably retaining the attachment in position.

Another feature of the invention resides in the utilization of the pouring spout as a lever in applying the attachment to the can.

Some of the advantages of the invention lie in its simplicity of construction, in its adaptability to use on cans of different sizes and types, and in its adaptability to economical manufacture.

With the above more important objects and features in view and such other objects and features as may become apparent as this specification proceeds, the invention consists essentially in the arrangement and construction of parts as illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in which:

Figure 1 is a fragmentary cross-sectional view of a can showing the invention applied thereto;

Figure 2 is a top plan view of the subject shown in Figure 1;

Figure 3 is a fragmentary cross-sectional view, taken substantially in the plane of the line 3-3 in Figure 1; t

Figure 4 is a fragmentary cross-sectional detail, taken substantially in the plane of the line 4-4 in Figure 1;

Figure 5 is a cross-sectional view showing the invention as being applied to a can; and

Figure 6 is a fragmentary perspective view of the tubular member which constitutes a combined handle and pouring spout.

Like characters of reference are employed to designate like parts in the specification and throughout the several views.

Referring now to the accompanying drawings in detail, the invention resides in the provision of an opening and pouring attachment designated generally by the reference character l0, this being intended for use in association with any conventional can l2 including a top wall I4, a side wall l6, and a perimetric bead [8 such as is usually provided at the junction of the top and side walls, as will be clearly apparent.

The attachment [0 embodies in its construction a substantially tubular, arcuate member 20 which, in effect, constitutes a combined handle and pouring spout, as will be hereinafter more fully described.

An elongated flange 22 is welded or otherwise suitably secured intermediate the ends of the member 20 and a gasket 24 is provided on the under side of the flange 22, substantially as shown.

Moreover, a pair of hook-shaped fulcrum elements 26 are provided in spaced relation on the flange 22, and it is to be noted that one end portion of the member 28 is flattened so as to form a substantially triangular can opening element 28 terminating in an outwardly arcuated extremity 30.

Accordingly, when the attachment is applied to the can l2, the hook-shaped elements :26 are engaged with the bead [8 of the can, while the extremity 30 of the element 28 is engaged with the top wall M of the can, whereupon, by simply exerting pressure on the combined handle and spout 20, as indicated by the arrow -32 in Figure l 5, the element 30 will pierce an opening 34 in the top wall [4 of the can,' as will be clearly apparent.

Needless to say, the extremity 30 of the element 28 is pointed, as shown in Figure 6, and the element 28 is provided with sharp cutting edges 35 for obvious reasons.

When the attachment is ultimately applied to the can, the interior of the spout 20 will, of course, be in communication with the interior of the can, while the gasket 24 on the under side of the flange 22 will engage the upper surface of the top, wall It, thus preventing any possible leakage between the can and the pouring spout It is to be particularly noted that while the member 20 primarily functions as a pouring spout, it also performs an additional function, namely, that of providing the necessary leverage for applying the attachment to the can, that is, the pouring spout also functions as a convenient handle.

Means are provided for firmly yet removably re taining the attachment in position on the can, these means involving the provision of a pair of spaced detents 36 which are struck out in opposite directions from the lower portion of the member 26, thes detents being more-or-less resilient in character, so that while the attachment is being applied to the can, the element 28 strikes out a portion 38 to provide the opening 34 in the can top I4, this resulting in sufficient lateral distortion in the can wall M at the edges of the opening 34 to permit the detents 36 toenter th interior of the can through the opening, and then spring outwardly in opposite directions so as to engage the inner surface of the can wall M, thus firmly and securely retaining the attachment in place on the can. Needless to sayl the retaining action of the detents 36 is assistedby the engagement of the flange 22 and gasket 24 with the top surface of the can wall I4, and also by the engagement of the elements 26 with the bead I8 of the can.

When it is desired to remove the attachment from the can, the detents 35 are sufficiently resilient and the marginal edges of th can wall 14 surrounding the opening 34 are sufficiently flexible to facilitate removal of the attachment with 7 provided at the outer end of the member 20 to protect the unused contents of the can against harmful efiects of the atmosphere.

, It is believed that the advantages and use of the invention will be clearly apparent from the foregoing disclosure, and accordingly, further description thereof at this point is deemed unnecessary.

Having described the invention, what is claimed as new is:

V 1. In a can opening and pouring attachment, a substantially tubular member constituting a combined handle and spout provided at one end thereof with a pointed extension having sharp cutting edges, an external fiangepositioned intermediate the ends of said member, a pair of spaced hook-shaped fulcrum elements provided on said flange in spaced relation to the member and adapted to engage the upper edge of a can whereby said member may be actuated to form an opening in the top of the can by the cutting edges thereof, and a pair of spaced resilient detents struck out from said member adjacent the under side of said flange, said detents being responsive to said member penetrating a can top to engage the under side of the can top for retaining the attachment in position on the can.

2. A can opening and pouring attachment comprising a tubular member constituting a combined handle and pouring spout, an external flange surrounding the tubular member, a hook-shaped fulcrum element on the flange on one side of the tubular member, said one side of the tubular member being provided with a pointed extension having tapered cutting edges, and a resilient detent on the tubular member adapted to engage the underside of a can top at an edge of the latter cut 7 by the cutting edges of said extension when the top is opened by the pointed extension being structed and arranged that the element may be engaged under the head of a can and the tubular member swung about the element as a fulcrum to a position in which the detent engages the underside of the top of the can at an edge of the latter 'cut by cutting edges of the pointed extension.

4. A can opening and pouring attachment comprising a tubular member constituting a combined handle and pouring spout, an external flange surrounding the tubular member, a-hookshaped fulcrum element on the flange on one side of the tubular member, said one side of the tubular member being provided with a pointed extension having tapered cutting edges, and a resilient detent on the tubular member disposed along the travel path of one of the cutting edges of the pointed extension when the tubular member is swung about the element as a fulcrum, said detent adapted to engage under the top of a can when the top'is opened by the pointed extension being swung about the element as a fulcrum with the latter being in engagement with the top bead of the can. i i

5. A can opening and pouring attachment comprising a tubular member constituting a combined handle and pouring spout, an external flange surrounding the tubular member, a hookshaped fulcrum element on the flange on one side of the tubular member, said one sideof the tubular member being provided with a pointed extension having tapered cutting edges, and a resilient detent on the tubular member, said detent being an L-shaped projection at one end of the tubular member and inclined outwardly from the latter. 7

VINCENT A. BEAM.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS 

